She's Having a Baby
by aumontalc
Summary: This is the sequel to No One Ever Said It Would Be This Hard. Jackson and April are married and expecting.


**Chapter 1**

April sat on the couch, waiting for Jackson to come home. Tonight was their one year anniversary. She couldn't believe how quickly time had flown. Only eighteen months ago he'd proposed to her and six months after that, they had gotten married.

In her lap lay the photo album from their wedding. As she flipped through the pages, she remembered how absolutely ravishing Jackson had been in his grey suit and she hadn't looked too bad herself in her off white gown. Everything had been absolutely perfect on their wedding day. It was just as she had always planned, an afternoon wedding in a field with butterflies. Jackson had only teased her a little for having Mint to Be mints as their favors. It was her wedding day. She was allowed to be cheesy.

What a journey this last year had been. Their first year of marriage had been full of lots of joy, but like any newlywed couple there had been moments of aggravation and fighting. On the eve of her wedding, her mother had stopped by her room and had brushed her hair like she had when she was a little girl. That night her mom had shared with her three pieces of advice. Don't sleep apart when you're mad, missionary is the best way to make babies, and never say no to sex. The final piece of advice had been hard for April to swallow. Mainly because it was a painfully awkward topic to discuss with her mother, but also because she didn't necessarily agree with it. But her mom insisted that she always say yes to sex. If she didn't feel like having sex, then she should pray about it and do it anyway. Doubting there would ever be a time when she would need to follow her mom's advice, April was quite shocked when halfway through her first year of marriage she actually used it.

Jackson had been working nonstop for two weeks. He was always the last one into bed and the first one up. He'd barely had a chance to say hello to her much less have a real conversation. April had started to resent the time he gave to running the hospital. She wasn't angry with him, but she wasn't happy. One night while she was still awake, he had come home, looking haggard and worn out. The first thing he did when he slipped under the covers was reach for her. Instinctively she wanted to tell him no and tell him how hurt she was that he hadn't paid any attention to her for the past few days. Then, she remembered her mom's advice. Choking back the less than kind words she wanted to spew, she instead sent up a prayer. Although it was far from the best sex of her life, she would always remember it as one of their most intimate moments together. She learned that sex wasn't always about passion and desire and wanting to rip each other's clothes off. Neither did it have to be slow and gentle. It could just be sharing her body with the man she loved, stroking his back and letting him release some much needed tension. That night she'd learned that sex could also be used to comfort.

"I've missed you so much baby" he murmured against her neck as she continued to stroke his back. "I hate when work keeps me away from you."

April bit her lip to stem the tears welling up in her eyes. "Me too."

Propping up on his elbow, he slowly stroked her arm. "How about I make up for the last couple weeks? We could go dancing like you've been wanting to do. Then, afterwards I could make up for tonight."

"You don't have to. It wasn't bad..."

"Yeah, it was. It was kind of all about me, but tomorrow night, it's gonna be all about you," he promised.

April had learned the next evening that Jackson was very good at keeping his promises.

Yes, married life was full of new experiences. Going on a honeymoon, fighting over who should take out the trash, buying a new house, and negotiating where to spend the holidays.

April supposed what surprised her the most was just how well their families got along. She knew and loved Catherine but she had been nervous about meeting his grandfather, Harper Avery. It turned out she had no need to worry. He had told Jackson that if he were 40 years younger that his grandson would have some stiff competition. Needless to say, April was a bit enamored of her grandfather-in-law as well.

And her family adored Jackson. Her mom, especially, never failed to compliment his good manners. And her sisters couldn't get over how handsome he was. They practically waited on him hand and foot. He just ate it up.

Their first year of marriage had been the best year of her life. She looked forward to the years ahead. Well, specifically next year.

At the beginning of their engagement, April had expressed her desire to have children and fairly soon. Jackson had asked that they wait a year before trying. Well, today it was officially one year of marriage. April had thrown out her birth control pills this morning. She was more than ready to start. She doubted Jackson would remember to get her an anniversary present. He needn't worry. Making her pregnant would be the best gift of all.

* * *

As Jackson opened the door, he heard the crooning voice of Marvin Gaye reach his ears. He grinned at his wife's lack of subtlety. "Let's Get It On" was the official theme song for couples doing it everywhere. Shrugging out of his jacket, he went hunting for his wife intent on obeying Marvin's orders.

He stopped suddenly at the sight of a candlelit dinner, the top tier of his wedding cake and a wrapped gift next to it. "Oh, crap," he muttered when he saw his wife. "I forgot. I didn't get you a present."

"I figured you would forget but I have a way that you can make it up to me."

"I bet you do," Jackson smirked. His wife was the total epitome of a lady on the street and a freak in the bed. Her innocent exterior belied the fact that underneath lay a passionate, sexually confidant woman.

April wagged a finger at him. "Dinner first. Then sex."

"Yes, because that is how proper people do it," Jackson teased.

After dinner, Jackson relaxed back in his chair, sipping on his glass of wine. "Can I open my present now?" he asked.

April smiled, handing it to him. "I hope you like it."

Jackson opened the box and stared perplexed at what was inside. "Swim trunks?" he asked, dangling them in the air.

"There's more. Look at the bottom."

Moving aside the tissue paper, Jackson found two tickets. "We're going to Miami."

"Yep, a month from now. We're both due for some vacation time."

"Is this your gift too?" he wondered.

"Um, no. I mean it is, but there's something else I'd like you to give me."

"And what would that be?"

"A baby."

Not knowing how to respond, Jackson chuckled.

"Why are you laughing?" April asked, slightly upset.

"I don't know. I guess I'm just caught a little off guard."

"Well, we talked about this when we got engaged. You said that after we had been married a year we could start trying for a baby."

"I didn't literally mean a year to the date April."

Jackson cursed himself when that worried, reserved look came into April's eyes. This was their anniversary. It was supposed to be a happy occasion. He didn't want to have to console a pouting wife.

"I mean aren't we having fun just the two of us? This is nice isn't it?"

"Yeah, it's wonderful Jackson, but I want more. I want a little baby to love and take care of. I want to raise a child with you. A child that is part of both of us. I thought you wanted that too."

"I do," he replied. "But this just seems all so sudden."

"It won't be. It takes at least nine months," she replied cheekily. "I just stopped taking the pill today so it will probably take a few months for us to even get pregnant. I bet our 2nd anniversary will pass before the baby is born. Plus, just think how fun it will be to make the baby. We'll have to have sex all...the...time," April whispered. His eyes suddenly became glued to the strap that was slowly sliding off her shoulder. His heart rate increased and less blood was flowing to his brain. It was all heading to one particular region.

"And to keep our love life from getting boring I bought lots of new lingerie." Scooting onto his lap, she murmured, "I have some on under this dress. Do you want to see it?"

Jackson nodded his head, mutely.

"Also, to keep things spicy we might have to try different places other than our bed. Like up against the wall or on the floor or on top of the washing machine..."

"Or on the dining room table?" Jackson suggested, mesmerized by her tantalizing cleavage.

April's hands slowly began to unbutton his shirt. "Or on the dining room table."

Lifting her up, he scooted the plates to the side so he could lay her down. Tugging the bottom of her dress up, he groaned when he caught sight of the red thong she was wearing. "You don't play fair," he moaned.

"What can I say? I want what I want."

**Chapter 2**

"Mrs. Avery, you are indeed pregnant," the nurse on the phone confirmed. "When would you like to schedule your first visit?"

As April scheduled her appointment with the OB/GYN, she couldn't keep from grinning. She was pregnant She was going to have a baby! In less than nine months, she would be cuddling her own little sweet bundle of joy in her arms. She couldn't wait!

After she hung up, her joy transferred from smiling to humming. As she made her way to her next patient's room, she was startled when she accidentally bumped into her husband.

"If you're humming you must be really happy about something. What's up?" he asked, grinning back at her.

Not wanting to spoil her plans for this evening, she told a little white lie. "It's pretzel day in the cafeteria. How can I not be happy?"

Jackson nodded in agreement. "At least it's not gumbo."

* * *

April took off her apron and admired her handiwork. Not only had she cooked a delicious meal, but she had set the table for three. A place for her and a place for Jackson plus a place for their unborn child complete with child sized plate and silverware with a sippy cup on the side.

When Jackson arrived home, she would act like tonight was any other night. Ask him how his day was. Talk about her surgeries. Inevitably, he would ask about the little plates and in mid sentence would realize what that meant. He'd scoop her up in his arms and tell her how happy he was going to be a dad. She was going to remember this night forever.

A half hour later, Jackson strolled through the door and shrugged out of his jacket. "What's that smell?" he asked.

"It's baby back ribs, mashed potatoes and glazed baby carrots."

"You made barbecue? You always make me grill."

April rolled her eyes that he didn't get the hint she'd dropped. "I didn't make the barbecue. I bought some to go, but I made the baby carrots and mashed potatoes."

"That's kind of an odd meal, but I'm hungry so I'll just go with it."

Sitting down, Jackson began to serve himself, passing her the platters when he was done. "So I finally got to scrub in on a surgery today. It was just an appendectomy, but after four days without cutting anything I wasn't super picky. Tomorrow though, I'm going to..."

April pretended to listen as Jackson described the surgery he would perform tomorrow. Her mind in a whirlwind. Did he really not notice the other plate on the table? Or the sippy cup? How could he not guess the obvious meaning of baby back ribs and baby carrots? Gazing intently at her husband, she seriously questioned his intellect.

"What?" Jackson asked, his lips and fingers smeared with barbecue sauce.

"Huh?"

"Why are you staring at me?"

Shaking herself from her reverie, she replied, "You've got some...on your face."

His napkin already dirty, he reached across the table and grabbed the bib April had put next to the child's place setting. She watched in horror as Jackson wiped his fingers and mouth on the green bib.

Looking down at the cloth in his hands, Jackson's brow wrinkled. "I love my daddy?" he asked. "What does that mean? Assessing the table further, he asked, "What's with the little plate and cup? Are we having a visitor? You didn't say you were going to babysit Bailey did you? I kind of want to relax this evening."

"No, no. I'm not babysitting anyone tonight."

"Then what's with the kid stuff?"

Exasperated, April shook her head and began to clear off the table. "You know, Mr. Harvard Man, I think you need to figure this one out on your own. Why don't you think about it while you're doing the dishes? I'm going to take a bath."

"April, if this is some sort of metaphor you better explain it to me. You know I don't understand them half the time."

"Just stew on this one a little while," she said before heading to the bathroom.

* * *

April was relaxing with her head against the tub, being gently lulled by the soft candlelight and soothing music when Jackson made his way in and began to pace back and forth.

"The kid plate, the tiny glass with a lid, the towel with snaps that said I Love My Daddy..."

"The baby back ribs, the baby carrots," April added.

"That was your way of telling me you're pregnant. You're pregnant," he said in awe. "With my kid."

"I am. I'm pregnant," April gushed.

Jackson rushed over and gently pulled her to her feet. Wrapping her in a towel, he hugged her tight and stroked her hair. "Wow. A baby. Didn't take us long, did it?"

April shook her head. She was a little surprised herself how quickly she had gotten pregnant. She had fully expected for it to take at least 3 or 4 months not just the one.

After putting on his pajama pants, Jackson crawled into bed with her a few minutes later. Pulling her into his arms again, his hand slid down to her stomach and rested it there.

"What do you want to have? A boy or a girl?" he asked.

"OK, I know it's the upright and moral thing to say I don't care as long as it's healthy, but I do care. I want a boy. Growing up, I always wanted a brother. Plus if we eventually do have a daughter I would like her to have a big brother who could take care of her...What do you want?"

"I don't care as long as it's healthy," Jackson teased.

"You jerk!" April cried, elbowing him in the side. "Don't be a goody two shoes and spout that crap to me. That's what we'll tell people in public, but at home we can be honest with each other. Now, tell me. What do you really want?"

"Triplets?"

April squeaked and jabbed him again in the side.

"Twins?"

Another squeak, another jab.

"Alright, alright, just one will do."

"But which one?"

"April, I don't really care. As long as our baby arrives safe and sound into this world."

April smiled up at him sleepily and accepted his quick peck on the lips. Moments later, she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Jackson lay awake long after his wife had fallen asleep. He was still trying to reel in the reality of the situation. No more just him and April. No more peace and calm. No more having sex when he wanted. No, everything would be different. He'd have to take care of and provide for an infant. There would be little alone time for him and April. Certainly no more impromptu sex. In just a few months, his life would be a mind-numbing routine of work, bottles, and diapers.

On one hand, he was happy. April was practically beaming with joy. They'd made another life. And very quickly too. He couldn't help be proud of how fast he'd made her pregnant. On the other hand though, fatherhood scared the crap out of him. He'd had no example of his own growing up. What if he did the same thing as his dad and flaked out on April? Jackson shook his head. No, no matter how bad things got he would stick it out. He was grateful that his mom had always stuck it out with him. Even to this day, she was a huge help.

In fact, if it hadn't been for her, he wouldn't have figured out that April was pregnant. As soon as April had gone to take her bath, he'd dialed his mother.

"Hey, baby, it's so good to hear from you. It's nice that you're the one calling instead of me."

"Mom, I don't really have a lot of time to talk. April might come out of the bathroom at any time. I have a question for you."

"i'll be happy to help."

"So April made this dinner tonight and I don't why she did and now she's upset with me. She says I need to figure it out on my own."

"OK. Tell me what happened."

"Well, I got home and April had made some barbecue, mashed potatoes and carrots. We talked for a while. Then, she told me I had some sauce on my face. I reached for the towel, but it had these little snaps on it. That's when I noticed that there were all sorts of little kid things on the other side of the table. Like a little plate, fork, and cup. I asked if April was going to babysit anyone tonight and she said no. Then she got all mad and went to take a bath."

"Sweetheart, did the little towel with snaps say anything?" his mom asked, sounding amused.

"Yeah, that was another weird thing. It said I Love My Daddy."

At this point, his mom was chuckling. "Oh, baby boy. You can be so simple sometimes."

Irritated, Jackson replied sharply, "I'm glad you think this is so funny Mom. April's really pissed at me."

"No doubt she is. You messed up her plans to break the news to you."

"What news?" Jackson asked, still clueless.

"Isn't it obvious? She's pregnant."

"Oh...oh, crap. You're right. I gotta go Mom. Thanks!"

Thank goodness for his mom. Otherwise, he'd probably still be trying to figure out April's clues. He kind of felt dumb for not figuring them out on his own. They seemed really obvious now, but his head just wasn't in that place. The baby place. April was in that place. Heck, she was mayor and founder of that place. Even though he'd willingly participated in trying to make a baby, Jackson had never fully considered the implications of it. That what they were doing would result in a baby. And soon. He wanted this baby and he wanted to make April happy. He just needed to shake off his insecurities about fatherhood. If he could break away from the pretty boy stigma, pass his MCAT, graduate successfully from medical school, pass his boards, and run a hospital, then he could definitely be a dad to a slightly scary 8 pound bundle.

**Chapter 3**

"Happy 4th!" exclaimed Kimmie as she rushed over to hug April and Jackson. "I'm so glad you guys could come! How was Miami?"

"It was wonderful. Like a second honeymoon," April replied. "You and Robert should go some time. The beaches are beautiful."

Her sister chuckled. "I think we're going to have to put a second honeymoon on hold for about..." Kimmie glanced down at her extended stomach. "18 years or so. When you have kids, vacations are the opposite of relaxing. And traveling with 4 of them? That's just plain crazy. The hour long trip it takes to get here is enough to test my patience. Well, you'll find this all out when you and Jackson start having babies. Speaking of babies, this one is telling me I need to pee."

As her sister headed towards the bathroom, April whispered to Jackson, "You remember the plan right? Don't blurt out anything until it's time to take the family photo."

Jackson whispered conspiratorially back to her. "OK."

When making plans for their trip to Florida, April had tacked on a mandatory weekend stop in Ohio. As much as she loved Seattle, there were times when she desperately missed her family. Her childhood had been wonderful, full of loving and warm memories. She hoped that she and Jackson could provide their child the same loving environment that she herself had grown up in. She was never happier than when she with her family. They could be apart for months, even years, but when they all reunited it was like no time had passed at all. Their love and support had gotten her through undergrad, med school, her internship and residency. After Reed and Charles had passed away, she'd taken two weeks to recuperate at home. The only thing Moline didn't have was an ER worthy of her talents. Before she'd fallen in love with Jackson, before she'd failed her Boards, she had wanted to move back home, closer to her family and to do her fellowship at Case Western. But she had failed and thank goodness. Otherwise she did not know whether or not she would have ever fully realized just how much she loved the man standing next to her, her best friend, closest confidant, and husband.

Now, here she was about to break the news to her family that she was pregnant. She would have liked to wait a little longer. Six weeks did seem kind of soon, but she didn't know when she'd get another chance to tell her whole family in person. After the fiasco with Jackson, April had planned a way of breaking the news to her family that no one could misinterpret.

* * *

"OK. OK. I've set up the camera so that it'll take three photos," Karen said as she rushed over to where the rest of her family was standing. "It'll blink three times and then flash."

"1, 2, say cheesy Cheez Whiz," said little Joey, Libby's four year old.

"Cheesy Cheez Whiz"

Click.

"1, 2, say the Kepners rock!" shouted Joe Kepner.

"The Kepners Rock!"

Click.

"1, 2, say April's pregnant," April shouted.

"April's pregnant!"

"Wait..."

"What?"

Click.

After the third picture was taken, her family rushed in to hug her and Jackson. The next few minutes were a jumble of hugs, pats on the back, and congratulations.

"When's the little firecracker to make his or her appearance?" her dad asked.

"At the end of February."

"Oh my gosh! You must be so excited," exclaimed Libby.

"We are. We're very excited."

"You little goose! Here I was complaining about being pregnant when you're in the same boat," Kimmie added.

"How are you feeling dear?" asked her mother. "Are you getting morning sickness a lot?"

"It's not too bad. I'm a little sleepier than normal."

"Any weird food cravings yet?" asked Alice. "I remember I was all about fried chicken and Twizzlers."

"Nope, not yet."

"Auntie April, you gonna have a boy or a girl?"

April patted her niece's head. "Well, sweetie, we don't know yet."

"When you gonna find out?" asked one of her nephews.

"In a few months, we'll get to see a picture of the baby. And the doctor will tell us if it's a boy or a girl."

Jackson stood on the outside of the women and children fussing over and questioning his wife. His brother-in-law Keith handed him a beer and motioned towards the deck where Robert and Steve, his other brothers-in-law, were sitting.

"Congrats, man," Robert said as Jackson took a seat.

"Thanks."

"So how far along is she?"

"About six weeks."

"Tick, tock, tick, tock. You hear that?" asked Steve. "That's the sound of your freedom about to detonate."

Jackson chuckled. "Having a kid can't be that bad."

The other men laughed.

"You'll learn soon enough man, but on the bright side I have a feeling you're really going to enjoy April's pregnancy come the 4th month."

"What's gonna happen then?"

"Kepner women are usually...how do I put this delicately...pretty horny, but something happens in that fourth month of pregnancy..." Keith said.

"You will not be able to get her off of you, not like you'd want to" joked Steve.

"It's like Christmas, your birthday and your anniversary all rolled into one. And it lasts for like 3 months," Robert added.

"I miss that time so much," said Keith.

"Man, are you tearing up?" accused Steve.

"No," Keith denied. "It's just been awhile since we've had sex. If Libby's not motivated, then there's no guarantee that we're going to have it. I try to make a move, but one of the kids always finds a way to ruin the moment. Just last night I thought I was going to be able to get some, but then we hear a knock on the door. What do you know? Someone's scared to sleep in his room because there are monsters in his closet."

Jackson's brow furrowed. "Just tell him monsters aren't real and make him go back to bed."

The men laughed again. "Man, you're in for a rough learning curve. Something happens when women become mothers. Their sympathy transfer from you to their children. Any time one of the kids knocks on the door for any thing, any thing at all, you best go to the bathroom and finish yourself off. You're not getting any."

"At this point Alice doesn't need to be on the pill, our kid is the most effective form of birth control. He's just 2 and there are days when he won't let me give her a kiss without screaming his head off and calling me a doody head."

"That's nothing. Kimmie left me alone with the kids last Saturday while she had a girls' day with some friends. After I'd gotten them fed and put them to bed, Kimmie surprised me with the new lingerie she had bought. We were almost to the good part. I mean she was nibbling on my neck when I kind of just blanked out."

"You blanked out?" Jackson asked, surprised. "Did you faint?"

"No, he didn't blank out. He fell asleep while his wife was on top of him. Alice told me all about it. Kimmie was not pleased to say the least."

"Hey, it's not really my fault. It takes a lot of work to take care of 4 kids all day without any help."

"You got to work on your stamina Rob." teased Keith.

"My wife is 8 months pregnant. My stamina's just fine."

Turning his attention to Jackson once again, Keith said, "Moral of the story - Once you're wife becomes a mom, don't expect to get some."

Jackson smiled awkwardly and nodded his head. "Duly noted."

* * *

The next evening as April and Jackson sat on the flight back to Seattle, April patted his hand and asked, "The guys didn't scare you yesterday, did they?"

"Kind of," Jackson admitted. "They basically told me that I'm never going to have sex again once the baby's born."

April lovingly rubbed his arm. "It's true that we probably won't have sex as much, but I promise we'll make time for each other. I've babysat for both Callie and Meredith. They can return the favor."

"Yeah, but it won't be the same," Jackson complained.

"No, it won't, but I think our lives will be much more blessed. Making love to you feels really, really good but there's more to our relationship than just sex. We spent years as just friends so we know how to go without it. We can do that again if we have to, can't we?"

"I was celibate for you for an entire year. Yes, I can do it. I just didn't realize until I talked to the guys just how much having children is going to interfere with our love life."

"Honestly, I don't look forward to that aspect either, but think of all the other things we'll do instead. Snuggle with our baby, watch him take his first footsteps, teach him how to ride a bike, watch him play sports, see him graduate..."

Jackson smiled at her and threaded his fingers through hers. "Sex or no sex, we've got this. No matter what, we'll still be standing. Me and you."

April returned his smile and squeezed his hand. "Me and you."

**Chapter ****4**

April turned over on her side, smiling when she caught Jackson's eyes. "Good morning," he murmured.

"Good morning, you ready for your mom's visit today?"

Jackson groaned as he stretched. "Ready as I'll ever be."

April propped up on her elbow and lightly traced a pattern on his bare chest. "So I was thinking...how are we going to break the news to your mom? Maybe when she comes over for dinner we can give her a world's greatest grandma mug?...Hmm, I don't know. That's not really a fun way to tell her. Maybe I should google some ideas on how to tell people you're pregnant."

A slightly guilty look passed over Jackson's face for a half second. April's hand ceased its motion. April knew something wasn't quite right. Jackson was painfully easy to read some times.

"What was that look for?" she asked.

Jackson closed his eyes. "We don't need to tell my mom that you're pregnant."

"And why is that?" asked April.

"Because my mom kind of already knows."

"Jackson, I thought we made a deal to tell our families in person. It's so impersonal to tell them over the phone."

"I didn't mean for her to find out. She sort of figured it out on her own."

Rolling her eyes, April sat up. and turned her body to face him. "Mmhmm, how did that happen?"

Jackson sat up, secretly impressing April with his ability to do so without using his hands for support. Pulling up his knees, he rested his forearms on top of them and looked down, breathing deeply. "OK, I didn't want to admit this, but my mom kind of helped me figure out that you were pregnant in the first place. I called her while you were in the bath. I didn't understand your clues and I needed help. My mom figured them out right off the bat."

April couldn't help but chuckle as she stuck out her hand to rub his back. "That's OK. I'm sure Catherine loved being able to help you. It must be nice for her to know that no matter how old you get, you still need your mommy sometimes."

Jackson looked up at her, his look one of slight agitation.

Biting her lip, April decided to add fuel to the fire. "Maybe after dinner tonight, she'll come and tuck you in. Feed you a warm bottle. Sing you a lullaby." April smirked as she teased, "I didn't realize I had married such a mama's boy."

April giggled as Jackson made short work of flipping her onto her back. "I'm not a mama's boy," he growled, hovering over her. "Take it back."

"Says the man whose mom brought his lucky pencil to the Boards."

"I didn't ask her to bring that," Jackson said as his fingers began to tickle under April's arms.

"But you did eventually go and get it, did you not?" April jokingly accused.

"Hush your mouth or I'll have to hush it for you," Jackson warned.

"Oh, and your mom bought you a..." April could no longer speak for Jackson's lips had passionately claimed her own.

Staring down at her wide eyed expression of shock, Jackson grinned. "I warned you," he murmured as his head bent to hers once more.

"Jackson told me that you already know that I know," Catherine Avery said to April as she sat next to her on the couch. "I'm sorry that you didn't get to surprise me with the news."

"It's OK. We'll find a way to surprise you with the next one."

"I bet you will sweetie. I bet you will. So how are you feeling?"

"Pretty good. Just a little bit of morning sickness here and there."

"And how many weeks along are you?"

"Seven."

Catherine Avery smiled wistfully. "I remember when I was pregnant with Jackson. I was so excited albeit a little nervous. My baby boy has been the biggest and best blessing in my life. Remember to cherish this time. Although it feels like it lasts forever, it is surprisingly short."

April smiled and reassured her mother-in-law that she would. "So tell me what was Jackson like as a baby?" April asked.

"He was the sweetest little thing. Only cried when he was hungry or needed a diaper change. He would snuggle with me for hours. His smile could light up the whole room. If you'll wait a sec, I'll show you. I brought his baby book with me. It's in my carry on."

A minute later, Catherine returned with the book and handed it to April. April slowly began to turn the pages. On the first page, she read:

Jackson Harper Avery

Born August 5, 1981

Weighed 9 lb 14 oz

Length of 20 inches

"Wait...Jackson was almost ten pounds when he was born?"

Catherine nodded. "He was huge. That's the main reason he's an only child. I never wanted to go through that pain again."

April began to feel a little uneasy. A seven pound baby seemed hard enough to deliver, but a ten pound one? That seemed darn near impossible. April nervously smiled. "I wish someone might have told me this before I got pregnant."

"I'm not gonna lie honey. The pain is terrible, but the end result is very much worth it," she said, smiling at her son as he walked in the room.

"What are you two doing?" he asked.

"Looking through your baby book," his mom informed him. "And maybe scaring April a little. She didn't know how big you were when you were born. It takes a while to process."

"I'm fine. It'll be fine," April said, trying to convince her mother-in-law and Jackson as well as herself. She had months before she had to worry about the delivery so there was no need to stress over the logistics now. She was a soldier. She could do this.

Turning to the next page, she saw a picture of a clearly exhausted Catherine holding a tiny Jackson. "Aww," she whispered. "Jackson was such a cute baby."

Jackson, curious, walked over to the couch and plopped down next to her, leaning to get a good look. "Love the hair Mom," he joked.

"It was the 80s. Everybody's hair looked like that," Catherine said, defending her past hairstyle choices.

The three of them happily spent the next hour pouring over Jackson's baby book. They stopped every once and a while to comment on various pictures and milestones like Jackson's pumpkin costume for Halloween or that his first word was OK. Looking through the album tripled April's excitement to have a baby. There were just so many moments to look forward to and if the photos of Jackson were any evidence, her baby was going to be too cute for words. She just wouldn't dwell on the fact that she might give birth to a ginormous baby. She'd fight that battle when she got to it.

Later that night, April snuggled in close to Jackson. "I'm glad your mom brought your baby book. I didn't realize what a cute baby you were."

"I've got to confess something," murmured Jackson. "Up until tonight I haven't really been that excited about the baby. But after looking at that album and talking with you and my mom, I can see how being a dad could be fun. It's like one long research experiment. When's he gonna smile? When's he gonna crawl? What foods will he like? What will his first words be? My bet's on dad..."

As Jackson continued to chatter on, April grinned to herself, secretly relieved that Jackson was getting more used to the idea of becoming a father. She knew that she would always have his support no matter what, but she had started to feel like she was the only one who really wanted this baby. It was nice to know that some of her excitement was catching.

**Chapter 5**

"Still staring at it?" asked Jackson as he passed by April's locker.

"Yes. I can't keep my eyes off it. That's our baby," April murmured, mesmerized by the black and white sonogram. Her hand rested on her waist, sending joyful vibes to her unborn child. "I just can't help but wonder what he's going to look like."

"Don't think that picture's gonna help much. Most babies don't come out all blurry looking."

"Oh, hush," April gently reprimanded. "I already know he's going to be cute."

"Yeah, and how do you know that?" Jackson asked.

April grinned. "Why, because his father is so handsome. That whole saying the apple doesn't fall far from the tree has some truth to it."

Jackson made his way over to her. "He'll be cute, but he won't necessarily get it from me. His mom's not too bad to look at," he said, with a smile.

At April's blush, Jackson continued. "In fact, I'd say she's absolutely stunning. My kid is going to come from a good gene pool."

"He's not going to just have his looks. He'll have brains as well."

"Yeah, just like his old man."

"Oh, I was referring to your mom and grandpa, but I guess you're pretty smart too. I mean you try your best," April teased.

Jackson's hands went for April's sides. His fingers tickling and invoking laughter. "Stop, stop," she protested.

"Say he's gonna get his smarts from me."

"I was raised not to tell lies," April exclaimed between giggles.

"You two seriously need to get a room," declared Alex as he walked into the lounge. "How long have you two been married and you still act like giggly fourteen year olds copping your first feel?"

"Shut it, Karev."

April wasn't quite as harsh as her husband. "Missing Jo aren't you? When she coming back from Guatemala?"

"She called me earlier today and told me they wanted her to stay an extra week. Stupid Doctors Without Borders. Hey...what's that in your hand?" Alex asked.

April quickly hid the sonogram behind her back. "Nothing," she replied at the same time her husband said, "A sonogram."

"What? Are you guys having a baby or something?"

"Yeah, we are" answered Jackson.

Alex sniffed. "Hmm. Doesn't surprise me much the way you guys are at it all the time. Well, congrats."

"Thanks."

A few seconds after Alex had left, April's hand swatted Jackson's arm. "I can't believe you just told him!"

Jackson looked taken aback. "Hey, why'd you do that? Is this one of those pregnancy mood swings?"

April gritted her teeth. The last thing she needed was everything to be blamed on her hormones. Besides, this wasn't about her hormones. This was about Jackson doing something stupid. "No, it's not. It's about you, Mr. Blabbermouth, telling everyone that I'm pregnant. I wanted to wait until I was at least 12 weeks before we told people outside our families. I mean something might still happen. I pray that it won't, but it could."

"Sweetheart," Jackson said, rubbing his hands slowly up and down her arms. "Nothing is going to happen to you or the baby. Everything is going to be fine. Didn't the doctor just say this morning that she thought you would have a relatively easy pregnancy?" At April's nod, he continued, "See, nothing to worry about. And I didn't tell everyone you were pregnant, just Alex."

April snorted. "Telling Alex is like telling everyone. He'll tell Cristina or Meredith and then, they'll tell everyone else."

"So what? It's good news. Everybody will be happy for us."

Jackson considered himself a pretty even keel person, but there were times when he was just plain excited. Today was one of those days. Torres had invited him and Meredith Grey to join her on a foot reconstruction surgery for an eighteen year old girl about to enter Juilliard on a dance scholarship.

It felt great to spend hour after hour in an OR. It seemed like ages since he'd performed a surgery that required this high of a skill level.

"So," Callie said as she neatly cut into the foot. "I hear congratulations are in order."

"Hmm?" Jackson's eyes focused on the blade. He hadn't really heard what Callie had said. When it came to surgery he tended to have a one track mind.

"You know the baby? I hear April's pregnant."

"Crap, you've already heard about that?"

"I thought it was common knowledge. I heard Mousy telling Shane in the coffee line," Meredith admitted.

"Arizona told me at lunch," Callie confessed. "Did you not want people to know? Was it an accident?"

"No, April planned it to a T, just like she does everything else. She's just gonna be upset that word got around so quickly. She wanted to wait awhile before she broke the news."

"You know I don't blame her," Meredith said. "I was the same way with Bailey. It was kind of nice to have a secret that no one else knew about."

"Well, April's secret is blown. When did Karev become such a gossip?"

"He's kind of always been that way," Meredith replied. "Are you excited about the baby?"

"Yeah, not as excited as April, but I'm happy."

Callie laughed. "No one's ever as excited as April. But pregnancy is a pretty wonderful experience. Is she feeling OK?"

Jackson nodded. "She's only a little sick in the mornings but she's starting to get hormonal. One minute she's all smiles looking at the sonogram and a couple minutes later she's hitting me for spilling the beans to Karev. And after that she got all teary eyed and worried about the baby even after the OB/GYN reassured her that everything was going to be fine."

Both of the women laughed. "Get used to it," advised Meredith. "You're in for a long nine months."

April hummed softly to herself as she walked out of her patient's room. For some checking out a patient to go home was a tedious chore. Not for her. She loved watching a formerly sick person become well enough to go home.

As she walked towards the nurses' station, Cristina Yang began to walk along side her. "So I hear Pretty Boy knocked you up," Cristina said.

April rolled her eyes. "You seriously couldn't tell Alex a single thing without him blabbing it to everyone. Yes, I am."

Cristina smirked in that way of hers. "I'd say I'm happy for you, but I'm actually happier for me."

"And why is that Cristina?"

"You and Meredith trolling on the Mommy Squad means more surgeries for me. I'll get my pick of the lot without having to fight anyone for it."

"That's great for you," April replied. "But I'm still fully capable of performing surgeries."

"For now, but three or four months from now, you'll be waddling down the halls. You'll be tired, your ankles will be swollen and you'll be crying twenty times a day instead of your usual ten. It's going to be fun watching you torture Avery. The best part is he's got to take it a like a man. You're pregnant. What can he do without looking like a total douche?"

"I think you're over-exaggerating things Cristina. Jackson wants this baby too. He knows full well the obstacles we'll face before the baby's born. And besides I won't be that moody."

"We'll see."

"Hunt, can I talk to you for a second?" Jackson asked.

Jackson had been doing some thinking the past couple of days. Thinking about April and the pregnancy. Trauma wasn't exactly the safest specialty. Nor was the ER always the safest place to be. He and Owen were going to need to come to a little understanding about his wife.

"Sure, shoot," the other man replied.

"Not sure if you heard, but April's pregnant."

Owen nodded. "Yeah, I'd heard something like that from Shepherd. What's going on?"

"Well, I know trauma's your and her baby, but it's not really the safest place for a pregnant woman. I was wondering if you could keep an eye out for her. Maybe get a few of the residents to step up and help her out more in the ER. In a few months, she's going to need to spend more time off her feet. I'll do my best to make sure she does that, but I could use another pair of eyes as well."

"You got it, but I'm going to leave it up to you to explain why she can't do as many surgeries."

"I thought since you were her boss, you know, you could..."

"I could, but I won't. Grow a pair Avery. She's five foot two and weighs maybe a hundred pounds soaking wet. How scary can she be?"

Jackson shook his head. "Pregnancy makes her a little volatile. One minute she's nice, the next she's mean."

"Suck it up, man, and tell your wife she's going to need to take it easy."

April was about to enter the supply closet when she heard familiar but not so friendly voices. Her feet stopped in mid step.

"So I don't know if you've heard," Heather said. "But Dr. Kep - Dr. Avery is pregnant. Thought I'd tell you because I didn't want you to be the last to know. Are you gonna be OK?"

"Sure," replied Stephanie. "Why wouldn't I be OK?"

"Well, you used to date her husband and I didn't know if you would be jealous."

"Jealous? Mmm, not so much. It's actually good news. The bigger her ass gets the more surgeries we get to scrub in on in place of her. I'm not jealous, but I do feel sorry for her kid. He's going to have to grow up with that dud as his mother. She's probably going to fail at being a mom just like she failed her boards."

At this point, April had heard more than enough. She spun on her heel and headed towards the attendings' lounge. Tears blurred her eyes. Once inside, she quickly found a seat on the sofa and began to bawl. Edwards' comment had made all those pesky fears of motherhood rise to the surface.

She attempted to calm herself when she heard the door open. Looking up and seeing that it was her husband, she no longer tried to hold back her tears.

"April, what's wrong?" Jackson asked, rushing over to her side and enfolding her in his arms.

"I don't...I don't want to talk about it," she gasped in between sobs.

Jackson just held her for the next few minutes as she cried, rubbing her back and pressing a kiss on her forehead. She hated having him see her like this, but was more than glad to have his comfort and support.

Finally, she sat up and wiped the remaining tears from her cheeks.

"Now," Jackson said. "Tell me what's wrong."

"It's really nothing. And besides, it's kind of my fault that it happened anyway. I shouldn't have been eavesdropping."

"Who said it and what did they say?" Jackson asked, his temper flaring.

"It doesn't matter who said it. I shouldn't let them make me feel bad about myself."

"What'd they say?"

"They said I was a dud and that I'd fail at being a mother just like I'd failed my...my boards," April sobbed, new tears running down her cheeks.

Jackson's jaw was set and he had a hard look in his eye because he knew exactly who would say something like that. His hands and his lips were gentle as he reassured his wife. "Sweetheart, you know that every single word she said was a lie. Not a damn word was true. She's just...I don't know what the hell her problem is, but don't listen to a word of it. You are going to be a wonderful mother. You're loving, caring, and smart. Our kid is going to be so lucky to have you as his mom, just like I am lucky to have you as my wife. I love you. Our baby's gonna love you, too. That's all that matters."

"Uh, Dr. Yang?" Dr. Edwards asked.

"Yes?"

"I think there's been a mistake. My name's been erased off the surgery board. I was supposed to scrub in on that triple bypass with you."

Cristina smiled to herself, looking forward to the torture she was about to inflict. "Yes, you were, but Dr. Avery recently informed me that he has a special assignment for you."

"Really? What is it?"

"Follow me and I'll show you."

Cristina led the resident to a nearby supply closet. "Your job is to check each supply closet on every floor for batteries. Once you find them, you need to write down how many there are and check to see if they work or not. After that storm a couple years ago, we wouldn't want to be unprepared if there was an emergency."

Edwards was shocked and slightly outraged. "But that will take days. Maybe even a couple weeks. I won't get the chance to scrub in on any surgeries."

Cristina tsked. "That is a shame. Have fun!"

**Chapter 6**

April plastered herself against the cool side of the tub. Good grief! She had had morning sickness before but never like this. She was nearing the end of her 9th week but until this point had only experienced nausea once or twice a week. Today made up for all that. It was like all nine weeks combined in one day. She felt weak, icky, and just plain terrible. She wanted to die she was in so much pain.

"April," she heard Jackson call before walking into the bathroom. "It's almost time to leave."

Looking up at her husband weakly, April tried her best to brush back her sweat matted hair. She knew she looked less than attractive.

"April," Jackson said in that tender way of his that he only used when he spoke her name. "What's wrong?"

April's eyes welled up with tears as she said, "I don't feel good."

"Oh, sweetheart," he whispered, crouching next to her by the tub. "Why don't you stay home and rest? I'll call and let them know we won't be coming to work today."

A smile drifted to April's lips for a fleeting second. Not going to work sounded wonderful. A day to just lie in bed. Then, she remembered something Jackson had said. "We? What do you mean by that?"

"I was just thinking that I'd stay home with you."

"You don't have to do that," April said, shaking her head. "I just need to sleep this off. Go on to work, honey. I'll be fine."

Jackson glanced doubtfully at her. "Are you sure?"

April nodded her head. "Absolutely."

"Here let's get you in bed first, then I'll go."

April's breath escaped her as she felt Jackson lift her in his arms and carry her to the bed. If only she wasn't so sick, she could enjoy just how romantic the gesture was.

As Jackson drove to work, he realized things didn't quite feel right. He'd tucked his wife safely into bed, but he couldn't get the image of her pale and wan face out of his mind. It shouldn't surprise him. This wasn't her first bout of morning sickness, but it was the first time she'd cried because of the pain.

Making a quick phone call, Jackson decided what he needed to do.

April lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, too weak to get up. She didn't feel like she was going to throw up anymore, but her back ached and she was exhausted. Closing her eyes, she prayed she would soon drift off to sleep.

After a few minutes of struggling in vain to fall asleep, she decided to get up and go to the kitchen for a drink of water. She sat up as carefully as she could, but apparently not carefully enough. Her stomach began to roll. Her nausea returned in a flash. Reaching for the trash bin next to her bed, she emptied what little she had left in her stomach. Then, another wave of nausea kicked in. As she threw up a second time, she felt a dip in the bed and strong, but gentle hands on her shoulders, brushing her hair back.

Lifting her head up, she said, "I thought you were going to work."

"I was," Jackson said. "But I changed my mind. I've never seen you this sick before."

"I am miserable," April replied. "I hate this part of pregnancy. I hate it. I hate it. I hate it!"

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," Jackson said as he rocked her back and forth in his arms.

"I'm sorry for being so whiny. I'm really happy to be pregnant. Truly, I am."

"You're having my baby. You have the right to complain every once and a while."

Jackson propped her pillows up and gently laid her against them. "Hold still, I'll be right back," he told her.

He returned with a cool wash cloth, a can of 7 Up, and a piece of dry toast. Jackson gently wiped her brow with the wash cloth. At the moment, nothing could have felt better than the cold fibers against her skin. Well, having the man she loved coddle and take care of her was a close second.

"Here," he said, offering her the 7 Up and toast. "Eat up. You're gonna need your strength. Doesn't seem like our kid's gonna make it easy for you."

"I know. I know," April agreed. "Everyone says the first trimester's the worst. I never really believed them until now."

April took a sip of the 7 Up. The fizz eased a bit of her discomfort. At the sight of the toast, she wrinkled her nose. She'd rather not eat that.

"I think I'm good with just the 7 Up."

Taking the toast off the plate, Jackson held it in front of her face. "Three bites," he said.

April smiled in an attempt to be polite. "No thanks, maybe later."

"Sweetheart, just try it. It's good for the baby."

This time April's smile was gone. She had absolutely no desire to eat anything and she said as much. "I don't want to."

A look passed through Jackson's eyes. One she didn't see very often. One that scared her just a little. "Eat. Three. Bites," he ordered, softly and slowly.

"Fine," she groaned, taking the toast from Jackson and doing as he'd asked. "There. happy?" she asked after the third bite.

"Very." Jackson said, kissing her forehead before taking the plate back to the kitchen. When he came back, he had some DVDs in his hand. "I thought we could watch some movies," he suggested.

April sank under the covers and turned away from him, wanting to pout a little. She hadn't liked how he'd bossed her around. She wasn't feeling good. He should be nicer to her she thought.

The bed dipped as Jackson got into bed next to her, wrapping his arms around her and spooning her a little. "Don't be mad at me," he whispered in her neck.

"I'm a grown woman Jackson. I should be able to decide what I want and don't want to eat. I don't like being bullied."

"Bullied? What are you...You know what? Never mind. I'm sorry I upset you. I decided to stay home today because I wanted to make sure you felt better. We can cuddle while we watch one of your favorite movies. I've got The Princess Bride, Sense and Sensibility, and Return to Me."

The fact that Jackson was willing to stay and watch a movie with her when 2 of the 3 were complete and utter chick flicks improved her mood a little. He must love her a lot to volunteer to spend hours watching movies she knew bored him out of his mind.

"Fine. Let's watch The Princess Bride. But no more forcing me to eat food I don't want. OK?"

"Of course," Jackson agreed. But as he got up to put the movie in, he muttered under his breath, "Until lunch time."

**Chapter 7**

"How do the new pants I bought you fit?" April asked as she and Jackson got ready for work.

"They fit fine."

"Good. I had so much fun shopping yesterday. I loved picking out maternity clothes. What do you think of my new top?"

Jackson glanced up from his phone. He had just gotten a message from Hunt about an issue that needed to be discussed at that morning's board meeting. Just another thing for him to worry about.

"Jackson?" April said, looking at him questioningly.

"Uh, yeah, April. What was the question again?"

April's bottom lip began to tremble and a tear rolled down one cheek. "Never mind. It's not important," she said as she began to make the bed.

Jackson groaned inwardly. April, always a sensitive soul, was even more sensitive now that she was pregnant. Anything thing he said or didn't say was analyzed to the umpteenth degree. Walking over to his wife, he wrapped his arms around her.

April quickly shrugged out of his embrace and continued to fluff the pillows.

"April, I'm sorry. I should have been listening. I just got a text from work is all."

"Obviously, you care about work more than your own wife. Since you love it so much, why don't you go ahead and go? I can drive myself today."

"Come on. Don't get mad at me. I really am sorry," Jackson said, reaching for his wife again. This time nuzzling her neck and nipping at her ear.

April stopped what she was doing. Finally allowing him to hold her. "What was I talking about?" she asked.

The baby? Work? What she was making for dinner? He honestly had no clue. "The baby," he guessed.

"Seriously, it's like you don't even listen to me. I was talking about my new shirt. I was asking what you though about it and if you thought I looked nice."

"Oh," Jackson remarked. He hadn't even come close.

"Oh? What? I don't look nice? Am I already starting to repulse you with my ginormous breasts and chubby thighs? You know you're a real piece of work Jackson Avery."

"April honey, that's not what I meant. You look beautiful. You always do," Jackson protested.

"Yeah right Mr. I Always Look Good. Gosh, you must really hate how frumpy your fat wife looks. I'm trying my best to look nice for you. It's never going to be enough is it?"

"Why don't we just calm down? We're a little wound up. We should take a few deep breaths. Relax," Jackson said soothingly. His phone dinged. He knew now wasn't the best time to check his messages, but if it was work related, he would need to respond. "April..."

"Go ahead," his wife shrugged. "Answer it. I'm going to head to work by myself. I think I just want to be alone."

"April..." he called, but all he heard was the front door slam.

April shook her head. She had been totally off her rocker all day long. She'd started a fight with Jackson for no reason and then she'd been really pissy to the interns. Well, they had kind of deserved it, but she shouldn't have acted that way. When Dr. Hunt had suggested she go home early and get some rest, she'd listened and done just that. A three hour nap had been just what the doctor ordered. She felt a 100% better. All the anger and frustration had just melted away. Now all she had to do was make up with Jackson and she knew just how to do it.

A half hour later, her husband walked in the door. He set his briefcase down and sprawled out on the couch.

"Hi honey," April said tentatively, sitting next to him on the couch.

Her husband's eyes looked warily at her as if he didn't know what to expect. She scooted behind him and gently began to massage the tense muscles in his back.

"Jackson," she began. "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for how I was this morning. I shouldn't have reacted that way. You know I'm crazy."

"I know. I know you are, but you're allowed to be a little crazy when you're going to have my baby," Jackson said, repositioning himself he leaned in for a kiss.

April returned it most enthusiastically. She was glad that her husband hadn't taken her freak out this morning too personally. Breaking the kiss, she smiled. "So I have a surprise for you," she said.

"Yeah," Jackson said, his breathing a little ragged. "What is it?"

"I've chilled some beers in the fridge and pizza is on it's way. Also, the Red Sox are playing tonight. I thought you might like to watch it on TV."

"Mmm, that sounds good. Have I told you I love you today?" he whispered against her lips.


End file.
